Biospheric reserve “Bashkir Ural” is included into preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage

author: Galina Bakshieva

The natural-cultural center “Bashkir Ural” is included into the preliminary list of UNESCO World Heritage.

“In the nearest future international experts will visit the territory of the new object – the biospheric reserve “Bashkir Ural” – in order to determine its correspondence to the criteria of universal global value, set by the Convent for protection of world cultural and natural heritage” – the press-secretary of the Ministry for nature management and ecology RB Nina Nikandrova reported.

According to her the inclusion of the unique natural-cultural center, located on the territory of the Republic, under the aegis of UNESCO will serve its preservation and popularization. Besides, it will impart further impulse to cooperation of Bashkortostan with this leading humanitarian organization.

There are 564 biospheric reserves in the world today and 39 of these reserves are found in Russia.

The work on establishment of the biospheric reserve “Bashkir Ural” started in the Republic still in 2011. That time the Ministry for nature management and ecology RB, the Institute of biology under the Ufa Scientific Center, the state natural reserve “SHULGAN-TASH” and the national park “Bashkiria” have prepared the application for giving the status of biospheric reserve to “Bashkir Ural”.

The new object includes five specially protected natural territories of federal and Republican subordination: the natural reserve “SHULGAN-TASH”, the national park “Bashkiria”, the national park “MURADYMOVSKY Canyon”, the natural zoological wildlife preserve “ALTYN SOLOK” and the zoological preserve “IKSKY”.

Scientists discovered the richest biological variety on these territories. More than 2000 species of animals and 1500 sorts of plants inhabit this zone. 84 species are included into the Red Book of Bashkiria, 40 species – into the Red Book of Russia and 177 species – into the list of theInternational Wildlife Preservation Union, into the Red List of Europe and into the list of Bern Convent.